Noida reports 700 new Covid-19 cases, highest-ever spike since March last year

The numbers of active cases in Noida stood at 3,327 as 147 patients were discharged from the hospitals on Sunday with which the total recoveries stood at 27,100.

Uttar Pradesh's Noida on Sunday recorded 700 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases which pushed the overall tally in the district to 30,530, according to state government's health bulletin. This is the highest-ever spike in daily Covid-19 cases in the district since the pandemic began. The death toll in Noida stood at 103 as three Covid-related deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, the bulletin said. The numbers of active cases in the district stood at 3,327 as 147 patients were discharged from the hospitals on Sunday with which the total recoveries stood at 27,100, it further showed.

A health worker takes a swab sample to test for Covid-19 at a government hospital in Noida. (AP)

The Yogi Adityanath-led government last week announced a Sunday lockdown across all districts of Uttar Pradesh till May 15. According to the state government’s order, all districts will remain under lockdown from 8pm Saturday to 7am on Monday. On the first Sunday (April 18), Noida witnessed low footfall and empty roads, as per news agency ANI. Only essential services were allowed in the district as all shops, markets, commercial institutions and offices remained closed. Sanitisation work was also taken up by the authorities during the period. The state government has also increased the penalty amount for people flouting the mask mandate to ₹1,000 and ₹10,000 for repeat offenders.

Police personnel drawing out barricading at DND Flyway to check commuters entering Noida from Delhi after an 8pm night curfew, in Noida. (Photo by Sunil Ghosh / Hindustan Times)

District magistrate Suhas L Y said on Friday that the adequate number of hospital beds are available in Noida for the treatment of Covid-19 patients adding that there will be no shortage of Remdesivir medicine in the district as crucial drugs for treatment and oxygen supply are available in the hospitals of the district.

"Number of beds in hospitals is being increased and there is adequate number of beds but people should not insist on being admitted to any particular hospitals. Arrangement has been made for crucial drugs and oxygen also. Availability of Remdesivir is a challenge and the state government has to some extent made it available. At the local level, tie up has been done with the manufacturer of Remdesivir to make the medicine available at the government hospitals," Suhas said, as per news agency ANI.

Uttar Pradesh registered the highest single-day rise in Covid-19 cases as well as fatality count on Sunday, with the disease claiming 129 more lives, while 30,596 fresh cases pushed the tally to 851,620. With 9,041 patients recovered from the disease between Saturday and Sunday, the total number of recoveries in the state stood at 650,333. The death toll due to the viral disease stood at 9,830 and the number of active cases stood at 191,457.

(with agency inputs)